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Venus is currently sailing through Pisces, the sign of the two fishes. Venus in Pisces can often be torn between two loves: her partner vs. her public life, work vs. family, extravagance vs. security, etc. Regardless of what these two loves are, one will usually have to be sacrificed for the other, but Venus in Pisces believes that someplace, somewhere it is all possible. Yes, Pisces Venus can be prone to yearning for a fairytale existence which is why she needs earthy people to keep her grounded. Venus in Pisces is in fact very compatible with the Earth signs–yes even Virgo. It’s just with Virgo, Pisces must be willing to be more present in the here and now and give attention to the little things that Virgo cares so much about. Virgo must be willing to allow Pisces to just be–even if that means going off someone alone for a little while. Know-it-all Virgo must also be okay with Pisces’s secretive nature.

Venus in Pisces is very romantic and emotionally sensitive. Of course she is artistic. She can also be very spiritual and in extreme cases, rather flaky. This watery Venus believes that almost anything is possible when you just believe. Venus in Pisces certainly believes in miracles and she can often make miracles happen just by envisioning her deepest desires with the utmost sincerity. This is a good thing since a miracle is often required to legitimize a secret love affair which Venus in Pisces is so prone to enter. The song Secret Lovers by Atlantic Starr is the epitome of Venus in Pisces. A Piscean Venus actually thrives in those relationships where there is a yearning to be with someone who is unavailable. This gives her vivid imagination room to run wild. Venus in Pisces has a need to dream, to long, to fantasize and being isolated from a partner provides much opportunity. Thus, Venus in Pisces is attracted to long-distance relationships, relationships inhibited by one’s career or other obligations, and love triangles. For Venus in Pisces it is a requirement that substantial time is spent in isolation, but not too much since Pisces can really suffer when there appears to be no reunion in sight.

Venus in Pisces can be rather hard to please since she’s so idealistic. She is easily disappointed with partners who don’t put forth an effort to keep her happy. She can be prudish at times and also preachy. However, it is Venus in Pisces who will be there when you are completely down and out, at rock bottom, or experiencing a serious turn of misfortune. She just may remind you later of how well she has played the role of the martyr for you. Venus in Pisces will make great sacrifices for her partner, but she will expect that same degree of selflessness to be reciprocated.

Sexually, Venus in Pisces can be somewhat reserved–even to the point of desiring to be a nun–unless she is able to transform fully into the spiritual fish, allowing herself to become vulnerable. When she does completely let go, she becomes the nymph of every man’s dreams as she yields fully to the penetrating force. Venus in Pisces wants sweet sounds, soft music, and seductive fragrances to set the mood. She is very eager to please, but sometimes she just wants to zone out and be carried away on the wings of a strong lover who takes care of everything. This is not to say that Venus in Pisces has the tendency to be a cold fish, she just likes being treated like princess at times–with grace, awe and reverence. Sex can be a religious experience for Venus in Pisces and she may begin to become addicted to the uplifting feeling that a certain kind of sexual partner can provide–just don’t interrupt her sleepy time for a 5 minute romp. A great temporary lover can be Venus in Pisces’s worst nightmare since she will be forever trying to find that same experience with others and becoming disillusioned in the process.

In terms of personal style, Venus in Pisces is all about glamour, glitter, costumes, signature looks, and enhancements. Venus in Pisces loves makeup and has a great talent when it comes to its application. When it comes to hair she prefers that it appears soft, free flowing and feminine. Clothing can be a toss up as she has the tendency to be a chameleon, changing up per the event or situation. Her flavor is at times abstract and sometimes classic. You never know what Venus in Pisces may enter a room wearing, but it will look good on her nonetheless. Pisces is the sign of jewelry so gifts of precious metals, gems and stones can really win her over. Venus in Pisces may even be caught donning a bejeweled tiara on special occasions before she pirouettes out the door. Basically she is drawn to that which is precious, rare and cherished such as an obscure fragrance. Don’t think you’ll get away with giving her something as an afterthought and she not take issue with it. Any gift for a Pisces Venus must be special and endearing because she sees herself as such.

One of my pet peeves in the world of Astrology is the proliferation of generalized horoscopes. There are also a multitude of erroneous blog posts, Facebook status updates and Tweets dealing with the daily motion of the stars, planets, luminaries, etc. and how it applies to people on an individual level. For instance, just because transiting Mars is making a challenging aspect to transiting Venus does not mean that people on an individual level will face some strife in their personal relationships on that particular day. Aspects between transiting planets should be taken on a mundane level–i.e. reserved for whole populations, nations, the world, etc. Aspects between transiting planets are also used for horary, financial and electional astrology. To get a view of what can affect a person personally, an astrologer has to reference that person’s natal (birth) chart. Even events such as Mercury turning retrograde and solar/lunar eclipses may not directly impact an individual unless a sensitive point of the natal chart is triggered.

Any astrologer will tell you that not all Scorpios are created equally and the same goes for any zodiac sign. They will also tell you that one has to take the entire natal chart into account before making judgments, interpretations and forecasts. However, many still churn out these daily, weekly and monthly horoscopes that appeal to the masses even though they are not a reflection of reality or true Astrology for that matter. Sometimes these horoscopes contain a degree of accuracy, but more often than not, they don’t ring true for many folks. Some astrologers being all too aware of this pitfall will try to legitimize this practice by stating that the sign of one’s Ascendant and Moon can also apply to the particular horoscope. This in my opinion, is a weak attempt to reduce the margin of error that is inherent in generalized horoscopes.

It really irks me when some astrologers or horoscope writers include the house positions; a practice which is totally bogus since one only knows the actual house positions when given the time of birth. This practice of using the houses stems from placing the sign in question on the Ascendant and deriving the house positions from there. So for instance, the monthly horoscope email you receive may say that Venus is traveling through your 5th house, but in reality, according to your natal chart, Venus is actually moving through your 10th. This is why I can’t get down with this practice.

It’s this very practice that gives fodder to skeptics as they wag their finger at glaring inaccuracies. Generalized horoscopes also promote the ever-pervasive notion that Astrology is a mere form of entertainment for the masses.

I have been guilty of patronizing this questionable practice in my early days as I used to subscribe to Astrologer, Susan Miller’s monthly horoscope emails. Sure her horoscopes are semi-accurate for the most part and she even breaks the signs down by decanates (i.e. “if you were born between the 20th and 30th of April, read this section”), but they still do not produce the stunning revelations and jarring insight of an actual astrological forecast. There came a day when I had to unsubscribe since this practice is not in accordance with my belief system. I also found it disconcerting that the American Federation of Astrologers resorts to providing monthly horoscopes. These horoscopes are actually less accurate than Susan Miller’s.

So why do so many astrologers write these generalized horoscopes when they are aware that it is mostly bullshit? I believe it comes down to a need for consistent engagement. They want to keep customers, followers, and fans engaged and generalized horoscopes are the most common way to achieve this goal in this industry. It’s called Sun Sign Astrology, a watered down version of the real thing. Sun Sign Astrology is basically like this: “You’re a Leo, so for this week, all Leos will have some kind of difficulty at work”. As you can see, these blanket generalizations can’t possibly apply to every Leo under the Sun. Sun Sign Astrology is a fairly new phenomenon, not coming on the astrological scene until 1930. From Wikipedia: “The astrologer R. H. Naylor was claimed by his newspaper to have predicted the crash of the R101 airship. This led to pressure on Naylor to come up with a simplified system of astrology suitable for a newspaper column. After some experimentation, Naylor decided on sun signs”. Thus, Sun Sign Astrology was created specifically for the masses and tailored for news publications. Sun Sign Astrology is idealism at its worst.

I cannot compromise my integrity and engage in the practice of writing generalized horoscopes even if it means an increase in website traffic or conversions to sales. I place a high value on authenticity, accuracy and the truth. Even if a major media publication offered me substantial compensation for providing this type of column, I would decline. It would be akin to selling my soul. Generalized horoscopes do the science and art that is Astrology a great disservice and many traditional astrologers like C.E.O Carter, John Frawley, and William Lilly have shunned the practice for this very reason. My aim is to uphold the integrity of Astrology and preserve some of its traditional rules and guidelines. I am after all a Capricorn (tradition, realism) rising with my Moon in Capricorn in the 1st. My Sun, Mercury, and Neptune are in Sagittarius (Honesty, Preservation) and Uranus (Truth) is on my Midheaven. Sure, I am somewhat of an idealist with all of that Sagittarian energy, but I am more of a staunch realist and I intend to stay that way.

Venus is currently soaring through Aquarius. Venus in Aquarius is an edgy, cool, progressive female who prefers solid friendship to a suffocating committed relationship. This is not to say that Aquarian Venus is noncommittal, she just doesn’t want it to feel that way. She is fiercely independent and prone to rebellion if faced with too much restriction. The best way to keep Venus in Aquarius happy is to give her plenty of autonomy to make changes at a moment’s notice and to respect the fact that she will have a throng of friends and admirers–both male and female. It’s no sense harboring feelings of jealousy when it comes to Venus in Aquarius. She’s a natural magnet when it comes to making new acquaintances and she’s quite the social butterfly. Her social circle is akin to a kaleidoscope; full of colorful and dynamic types. In a marriage or long-term commitment Venus in Aquarius has a need to run the show. A lot of times it is either her way or no way. The good thing is Venus in Aquarius tends to attract the kind of partners who have no problem submitting to her indomitable will. Any partner of Aquarian Venus will also need to wear a thick skin since she won’t hesitate to tell you the hardcore truth. She’s not emotionally needy and she’s not really concerned with the sentimental. Sometimes Venus in Aquarius may become so uncomfortable with her emotions that she resorts to humor or goof ball antics to keep the atmosphere light and carefree. She is not one for a lot of mushy doting or displays of affection. What she wants is sincerity and authenticity. Venus in Aquarius does however have a huge sense of entitlement and does not do well with the word “No” when she is on the receiving end. If it’s something that she wants and her partner is not providing it, she will take a circuitous route to get it. Loyalty is another weakness of Aquarian Venus. This is due to her shunning of systems of hierarchy and tradition. Don’t expect her to put you or anyone else on a pedestal. She believes that her friends deserve just as much time and attention as her partner/spouse.Sexually, Aquarius is the sign of the freak, so Venus in this sign may have various tricks up her sleeve. The vibrator and other sex toys are very Venus in Aquarius for instance. Since Aquarian Venus is very tolerant of that which deviates from the norm, she is prone to bisexuality, homosexuality, and entering poly-amorous unions. Even if her sexual orientation is bone-straight, she will most likely be very accepting of alternative lifestyles. In terms of personal style, Venus in Aquarius prefers looks that are cutting edge, progressive and even futuristic. She doesn’t follow trends, she is a trendsetter. She is attracted to bright colors and pastels, abstract patterns, and strategically placed rips and tears. For instance fashion trends such a ripped and acid wash jeans, torn tees, platform shoes, and unisex clothing are the epitome of Venus in Aquarius. She likes to be radically different than the masses and her appearance may even reveal her activist nature. PETA and the whole “I’d rather go naked than wear fur” campaign is certainly a Venus in Aquarius construct. Venus in Aquarius is drawn to technological gadgets that enhance beauty such as state of the art make up tools. She will frequent Sephora, Ulta and the like to keep her arsenal of beauty implements well stocked. She sees makeup as a means of physical evolution. When it comes to hairstyles Venus in Aquarius can go through frequent changes. She is likely to dye her hair on a whim and she is drawn to colors such as platinum blond or maybe even a funky blue. Venus in Aquarius likes short, androgynous hair cuts, spiky tresses and asymmetrical coifs. The shaving one side of the head trend? Yes, that’s Aquarian Venus.